The Secret
by xSeshatx
Summary: Yugi has managed to keep a secret from his friends and the Pharaoh. The secret? He's abused. What happens when this secret comes out?
1. Chapter 1

**Minor language warning.**

 **'.' - speaking in their minds**

 **"." - speaking out loud**

It was a wonder that Yugi was able to keep his secret for as long as he did. It was tricky at first when he really had no idea how the puzzle he wore around his neck worked. At first, he didn't really think there was anybody inside of his puzzle. He had no idea what was going on the majority of the time. At first, when he started dueling, there was something guiding him on how to win. The voice died down a bit when he was doing casual duels in school, but during Duelist Kingdom is when he really found out the truth of Yami. It shocked him, to say the least, but he also wasn't all that surprised. He thought he was going crazy for a while, but it really did feel like there was somebody inside of him who shouldn't have been.

Since he hadn't known about the spirit inside the puzzle, he never openly made a connection between them. The spirit, in turn, didn't come out of the puzzle or see into Yugi's mind unless there was an issue going on that he could sense. Anything that went on in Yugi's personal life was usually private. The moment Yugi stepped inside his home, Yami would hide away in the puzzle without coming out because whatever was going on with Yugi in his home was none of his business seeing as the two never fully communicated.

Once Yugi realized that there was somebody else in his head that wasn't himself, he knew he was going to have a rough time hiding his secret. During the tournament, he worked on being able to cut off the connection between the two. The match with Pegasus made him realize how simple it really was and he found his solution: whenever he needed to, he could just separate their minds so Yami would never find out. He knew Yami would ask him once why but then not ask again when he realized it was something Yugi didn't want to talk about it. That's just the way the spirit was; he wouldn't press the issue.

Yugi was dreading returning home from Duelist Kingdom for multiple reasons. The spirit could sense this but he didn't understand why. First off, he was worried that Yami would discover his secret now that they were friends. Secondly, he wasn't particularly looking forward to what he was returning home to. He was excited to see his grandpa, but he knew he couldn't stick with his grandpa the entire time. His grandpa shared a home with Yugi and his parents but they were in two separate portions. His grandpa lived above the game shop while Yugi and his parents essentially lived next door but connected to the game shop. It was a nice set up so that his grandpa lived on his own but he was there whenever he wanted to be there. That didn't mean he would be there whenever, though, and that was the issue.

The secret Yugi was keeping from everybody, his grandpa and Yami included, was the fact that his parents weren't very kind people. It started when Yugi young, maybe eight or nine, and it was never physical at first. His parents started fighting, usually when they thought he couldn't hear. Then they were fighting louder and more often, and then the two got physical. Shortly after that, they started yelling at Yugi and, eventually, got physical with him, too, and they never stopped. Home life for Yugi was rarely ever good. There were occasional moments where the three of them were able to sit down and have dinner together in either silence or very slight, casual conversations. Grandpa would bring the life out of his mother whenever he was over which Yugi really loved, but gramps never liked his dad so he didn't visit too often. Life was rough.

The evening he got back from the tournament, he went straight to the hospital to see gramps. Gramps practically raised him, it felt like, and having him in the hospital caused him so much pain. He sat with him until visiting hours were over and Yugi had to go home. As much as he hated the feeling, he missed his parents, too. He hadn't seen them in a while. He was scared to return home, though, because he didn't really give much reason for leaving except for 'I have to help gramps.' That obviously didn't sit well with his parents but he didn't stick around for their reactions. He couldn't, or didn't want to, witness their reactions.

As he neared his home, he felt his anxiety levels increase. Yami sensed it, as well. 'Is something the matter, Yugi? You feel oddly worried,' he commented, worried for his young friend and 'host body' so to speak.

'Just nervous to see my parents, is all,' Yugi replied, trying to keep an upbeat tone in his voice. 'I didn't give them much reason for leaving to the tournament. Hope they're not too angry.'

'I have yet to meet your parents,' Yami said, his voice sounding deep in thought. 'I've met your grandfather, even if us two haven't been formally introduced just yet, but I've not met your parents.'

Yugi hesitated for a moment. He didn't want to be too obvious that there was an issue with his parents but he didn't want to give Yami the false impression that he would be introduced to them. He assumed Yami didn't want to be formally introduced because if he told his parents there was a spirit inside of him, well, he'd be labeled as crazy and the spirit had to understand that. Even though there wasn't going to be a formal introduction, he would probably be expected to let Yami see a normal family interaction. He took a moment to form a response before saying, 'Maybe it'll be best for you not to meet them just yet. They're a bit different than the rest of us.'

Yami could sense that Yugi didn't want to talk about his parents. He could feel the worry coming off of him in waves and his thoughts seemed a bit all over the place as if he was trying to hide something but didn't want him to find out what. He decided to drop it; if Yugi wanted his secrets, he was entitled to have them. After all, it was his body, his parents, his life. Yami couldn't complain or judge, so the best thing he could do was let it go and pretend he wasn't insanely curious as to what the secret was. 'If that is what you wish,' he relented.

True to his word, Yami went into his spirit room when Yugi entered the game shop. He kept their minds separate; secret. He couldn't see into Yugi's mind, but he was able to feel the essence of emotion. What he felt was not promising. Yugi was afraid, nearly as afraid as he was when they traveled to the Shadow Realm against Pegasus. Instinct told him to take over and protect Yugi at all costs, but he resisted the urge. Yugi didn't want him to meet his parents so he was going to keep his promise.

Yugi, for his part, was not handling his parents as well as he should have. He called out for his mom when he walked inside and thirty seconds later both his mom and his dad were on him, screaming horrible things at him before his mother stormed out, cursing about her "ungrateful, bastard child" who was "such a pain in my ass." Once his mother was gone, things got physical. Without warning, his father grabbed Yugi by his hair and tossed him effortlessly against the wall. Fists were thrown out left and right and then kicks were added to the mix. Screams of how he wasn't wanted filled the air.

After a short while, his father seemed to grow bored because he, too, stormed out of the house, slamming the door shut behind him. Painfully, Yugi stood up and limped to his room. He couldn't tell what exactly kept him from crying out. Pride, maybe? Refusal to acknowledge his parents' betrayal? He didn't know, but he knew he kept his mouth shut. Once in the safety of his room, he took a moment to assess the injuries. His wrist was sore, probably from the way he hit the wall. He bent his wrist back and forth and concluded it wasn't broken or anything but would likely be sore for a bit. He shoulder ached and he could picture the foot coming in contact with that exact spot. Again, no serious damage. His stomach hurt pretty bad, though, and he was almost certain he strained some muscle in his back.

Before letting the spirit back into their shared mind, Yugi hurried to take a shower. There were some spots of blood but he couldn't tell where the blood was coming from. The stinging sensation from the shower definitely helped him with that discovery and he was able to clean each wound. Thankfully, the wounds weren't deep or dangerous so he didn't need to wrap anything. Once comfortable in his bed with his pajamas on, he unlocked his spirit room as an invitation for Yami to return.

Yami sensed Yugi's presence so he felt it was safe to come out. He opened his spirit room and exited into the real world to appear with Yugi. Immediately, he noticed the fact that there was an issue, even if he sensed it before. He couldn't make any guess as to what the issue was and he didn't want to bring it up again, so he kept it quiet. When Yugi was ready to talk about it, he would listen. Until then, he'd pretend as if he didn't think there was an issue even though Yugi could tell Yami knew there was an issue.


	2. Chapter 2

When Yugi gave Yami control of the body so Yami could have a day out with Téa, Yami couldn't help but notice the way his body ached with every move. He had dully noted some soreness other times he took control, like when Kaiba was in danger or Duke challenged him to Dungeon Dice Monsters, but he was much too busy to fully take notice of the pain. Now, though, while they were in no danger, he couldn't help but really take into account how pain shot up his back anytime he twisted or bent a certain way, and he had to focus hard not to walk with a limp. He could only assume that the pain was dulled from when Yugi felt it since they were two different people, after all. He wasn't in control of their body when there would have been any physical pain administered so he knew it had to have been when Yugi was in control. Had he let Yugi get hurt without even realizing it? Had he failed at protecting him?

Yugi was able to hear the questions Yami hadn't asked him about the pain and realized he had become too accustomed to feeling aches and pains all over his body that it didn't seem too bad to him. He didn't think Yami would even notice it, but if he did happen to he didn't think he'd even question it. Aches and pains were normal for most people. Perhaps they slept wrong, moved the wrong way, or something of the sort. But no, Yami realized that something bad had happened and was blaming him, and Yugi had no idea how he could reassure the spirit that he had not failed him, especially since it didn't seem like Yami was going to outwardly ask what happened and he had no idea how to bring the topic up himself.

By the end of the day, Yami had all but forgotten about the pain. He didn't forget the need to find out what happened, but he decided that was a conversation for later that night when they were in the privacy of the bedroom. Until then, he tried to banish the thought from his mind. Instead, he tried to process what all he learned from Ishizu. At first he didn't know whether to trust her or not because she, too, had a Millennium item. Friend or foe? She claimed that she and her family had been protecting his memories for thousands of years and that he had been a Pharaoh in his time. An Egyptian King. And he had to save the world from danger again. The thought was believable: he had no memories but he was trapped in the Millennium Puzzle for a while, though he didn't know how long exactly. It had been thousands of years. He felt like he had a strong connection to Egypt, and Pegasus caused many questions to form based on the possibility he might come from Egypt. Even the carvings he saw in the museum seemed to be speaking to him. He had more questions than he had answers, but he was grateful there was some sort of start to his search for answers.

After switching back with Yugi, he locked himself in his spirit room, already accustomed to the habit. When they were going home, he'd lock himself away until he felt Yugi invite him back. During this time alone, he thought about where they would go from there. They had another enemy they had to deal with. Yugi's grandpa was safe, as well as Kaiba and Mokuba, so that felt safer. However, Yugi did almost parish in a fire. That may not have been intended, it didn't seem like, but it was still a dangerous outcome that was not welcomed. Despite the fact that no souls have been taken, though, Yami couldn't help but fear that this new enemy was going to be far worse than anything he could imagine.

It was hours later when the fighting in Yugi's house died down. It started off with just his parents fighting while he took a shower and did some of his homework, but a short while later he heard his name being shouted. He sighed, dejected. After having a good day of watching Yami's spirit rise, he wasn't looking forward to ending it the way it was going to. He joined his parents downstairs and endured the yelling that was directed at him.

"Where have you been all day?" his mother demanded, hands on her hips as she glared hard at him.

"With Téa," he answered, trying to keep his voice loud enough to be heard. "We went to the museum and arcade."

"You know we don't want you dating!" his dad shouted, getting into his face to make sure he was heard.

Yugi couldn't help the blush that spread on his face. He wasn't looking for a relationship with Téa - or anybody. Frankly, he wasn't interested in dating at the moment. There was too much going on in the world that only seemed to be getting more complicated. "We only went as friends," he said, his voice less confident now. "I know I'm not allowed to date. I don't want to date Téa or anybody else."

His parents weren't buying it, his father especially. "Kids your age don't go out with a girl and not be on a date," he snapped. "Why the hell are you lying to us? First you disobey, now you lie?!"

"I'm not," he defended weakly, but he was backhanded in response by his mother before she scoffed in disgust and left, leaving the discipline to his father as usual. It usually was his father - his mother preferred screaming.

His father, instead of using anymore words, grabbed Yugi by his shoulders and shoved him back against the wall. His head accidentally banged against the wall. Normally, he was smart enough to hold it up, but he was caught off guard this particular time. He barely had time to recognize his mistake before he was then thrown to the ground and kicked. Stomped on was more like it. His father didn't seem too interested in abusing him that day, though, because he walked off only a minute later.

When Yugi was once again safe in his room, he allowed the spirit to come out. "So," he said, looking over at his friend who was leaning against his desk while Yugi sat in his bed, "you're a Pharaoh then?" He hadn't been intruding during Yami's day out with Téa, but Yami hadn't kept those memories private. He allowed memories and thoughts of the day wash over their shared mind which was invitation to learn anything he wished to learn about that day. The pair were now on a hunt to win another tournament - Kaiba's, this time - and collect the other six Millennium items. That kind of quest wasn't meant to remain a secret.

Yami, seeming more quiet and withdrawn than normal, nodded before adding, "I fear that this foe of ours may turn out to be worse than Pegasus."

Yugi, fearfully, looked down at his Millennium Puzzle. "We need to collect all the other items? How do you suppose we will manage that?"

"I do not know," Yami answered, "but I am sure that we will manage - together."

His voice conveyed more confidence that his face did, but that didn't help calm Yugi down at all, and Yami could feel the fear. "I almost lost you in that fire," he said, refusing to meet his friend's eyes. "I don't want to fail you again. I don't know how I'm going to be able to help you on this journey, but I will try my best not to fail you."

"You have yet to fail," the spirit - Pharaoh - said, standing up straight and almost silently demanding Yugi to look up at him, which he did. "That fire almost finished you, Yugi. I would have been fine. You would not have lost me in that fire, but I almost lost you because of your strength and determination to make sure I made it out of there, and I thank you for that, but I also wish you never risk yourself for my well-being again. Inside the Millennium Puzzle, I am safe from harm."

"I don't want to risk losing you," Yugi said lamely as if he knew it was a stupid argument. At the time, he wasn't thinking about how the Millennium Puzzle was virtually indestructible as long as the pieces were kept together. He was only thinking about getting his friend out of there.

Yami smiled at his small friend with a large heart. "You will not 'lose me', Yugi. Not in such mundane ways. As long as the pieces of the puzzle are not lost, I will not be lost, either. However, I believe I have somehow failed you."

Yugi looked up at him, no longer with sadness but instead with faked confusion. It was convincing, Yami had to admit, but he was able to feel the way emotions flooded through his young friend that betrayed his face. "You haven't failed me. How do you think you failed me?"

"While I was in control today," he started, uncharacteristically hesitant, "I couldn't help but notice an ache that overtook me. Unbeknownst to me, you have been exposed to great danger. What is it that happened?"

There was a short pause before Yugi spoke, but it was enough of a pause for Yami to know that whatever Yugi was about to say was going to be a lie. He could have penetrated Yugi's mind and discovered the answer himself since he had that power, but he wasn't going to do that to his friend. That was a power he swore to never use even when the urge to do so was almost too great to refuse. "I've been falling a lot," he said, sounding truthful but being anything but. "Been so distracted sometimes, you know?"

Instead of humoring the lie, Yami remained silent. By doing so, he let Yugi know that he knew he was lying but respected him too much to call him on it, to which Yugi was grateful. Yami was on his own now to hypothesize what caused Yugi the pain, and none of the possible reasons were sitting too well with him. It could have been their new enemy, but he couldn't reason why Yugi would keep that a secret. It could have been a school bully. It would make sense for Yugi to keep that a secret because he was the type to protect even his enemies, and they would be in danger if Yami ever got word of it. The idea of bullies didn't make too much sense, either, because Yugi had their friends with him at school.

Something had hurt Yugi, and it was killing Yami not knowing.


	3. Chapter 3

Yami discovered the truth by accident that same night. It wasn't long after Yami had questioned Yugi, so he got his answer after all.

Yugi and Yami were sitting in silence. Yugi had laid out his Duel Monsters cards on the desk and was trying to put together a new deck and Yami was watching, interested. He wasn't putting in any of his opinions because Yugi was doing a really good job, taking his time and mulling over every option. Neither of them heard somebody coming towards him room until it was too late. The door swung open and Yugi jumped, fearful. Both turned towards to the door and Yami saw a man whom he had never seen before. The fear that was coming off Yugi wasn't fear for the unknown. It was a familiar pain like he knew what was coming.

Yami started the process to switch minds in order to save his friend, but he heard Yugi say in his head, 'No,' so Yami paused. Yugi recognized the angry man. Perhaps this was the danger that harmed him.

"Yugi!" the man bellowed, advancing on him. "Why are your friends calling you this late at night?!"

"Who called?" Yugi asked, worried. His friends never normally called since they saw each other often enough as it was. Sometimes there were phone calls on the weekend, early in the day so they could hang out. He asked his friends not to call late in night because his parents went to bed early on, so this was the first time anybody had called so late. It couldn't have been good. Something had to be going on.

"Why the hell does it matter who called?" his dad snapped, taking another step closer to Yugi. Yami felt ready to switch but he had to forcefully hold himself back. He had been asked not to, and he would abide. "You know damn well you're not allowed phone calls this late!"

It was hurting Yami's heart to watch Yugi be so afraid. His physical body was only mildly fearful but his spirit was terrified. 'Yugi,' he said, his voice strong, 'who is this man?'

'My father,' Yugi answered in his mind before speaking out loud. "I wasn't planning on using the phone tonight. I'm sorry one of my friends called. I'll talk to them tomorrow at school and ask them not to call again."

"That won't fix anything!" his father shouted and backhanded him. Yugi fell off of his chair and banged his head against the corner of his desk. Instinct took over and Yami switched bodies, ignoring Yugi's cry to stop.

Yami barely had enough self-control to silence his urge to do some irreversible harm to this man, but he couldn't contain the eye from appearing on his forehead before grabbing the man's wrist to prevent another hit. "That is enough," he said, his voice carrying nothing but intimidation as if he was commanding a group of soldiers. "Never lay a hand on Yugi again."

'Yami, no!' Yugi cried. 'Yami don't hurt him. Please.'

It was the please that got him, in all honesty. He didn't want to betray Yugi by doing it anyways. It took a lot of strength for Yugi to forgive him after almost risking Kaiba's life. He wasn't going to do that to Yugi again, who had been so terrified to work with him again. Without speaking to his father again, Yami blasted him with power from the Millennium Puzzle, done without much knowledge. He couldn't remember how he knew how to do that; he just knew that he could and he knew what it would do.

"He will not remember this," Yami said, staring down at the man's unconscious body. "Nor will he remember the phone call. Do you wish to go check on our friends to see if there was an issue?" Yami hadn't had any feeling that would suggest any of their friends were in danger, but maybe asking to check would be better. Yugi seemed to be in shock, his mouth and eyes wide open, but he was coherent enough to switch the two of them back so Yami was no longer in control. "Yugi," he said gently, knowing there was no more danger, "I shall not ask if you do not wish to answer, but you must understand I was unable to stand by and watch this man harm you." He knelt down in front of Yugi, resting his hands on the younger man's knees. "Yugi..."

"I never wanted you to see that," Yugi said, finally raising his eyes to look at Yami. "I'm sorry you had to."

Yami took that as an invitation to talk about the event he just witnessed. "I'm assuming this isn't the first time," he said. Mutely, Yugi shook his head. "Why have you kept this a secret?"

"You worry so much," Yugi quietly admitted. "Even back when I wasn't really sure what was going on with my puzzle or who you were, you worried a lot. I didn't want you to worry anymore."

"Do our friends know?" Yami asked, knowing the answer but asking anyways. Yugi didn't answer but that was answer enough. "Why don't they know?"

"Same reason, really," he said with a shrug. "They're always taking up for me at school. I didn't want them to have to do the same at home, and besides, I know Joey's dad isn't nice to him, either. I'd rather help him with his than him help me with mine."

"You've been dealing with this abuse for so long all by yourself? How bad it is? Is he usually worse than this?" Yami couldn't wrap his head around the thought that a parent would purposefully hurt his own son. He himself couldn't remember his family or his time in Egypt, but he couldn't imagine a cursed family. He couldn't feel anything deep inside him that would suggest an abusive family, and he had no recollection of meeting an abusive family. The thought was so alien to him that he questioned if that was even his real father.

Yugi paled at the nonstop questions. He felt ashamed of himself for allowing Yami to witness an event that he wished to keep hidden, and he was embarrassed that the event was even taking place. He couldn't stand up to anyone - not even his own father. To think, a Pharaoh witnessed the abuse. The shame couldn't have been higher. "Spirit...Our friends can't know about this. Nobody can know."

Accepting the fact that Yugi didn't want to answer the few questions he asked, Yami didn't press the matter. "I will not speak of this if you do not wish me to, but I must ask what happens now that I know of the abuse. I will not stand by and watch you get hurt, Yugi."

"I can't expect you to," Yugi said, sounding very depressed. "But...he's my dad."

"I understand you do not want your father hurt," Yami said, "but you have the right to self-defense." He watched his friend reach his hand up to his face and wipe away tears that were starting to form. "Yugi..."

"I'm sorry," he breathed out. "It's just overwhelming."

"Do not apologize for you have done nothing to apologize for."

"Sometimes I just wonder why my parents are like that. It doesn't seem fair."

Yami remained quiet for a few minutes, giving Yugi his silent support while he processed the thoughts and Yugi's tears subsided. "I think you should turn to our friends for support," he eventually said, catching the attention of the younger boy. "At least for the night."

"I don't want them to know," Yugi said, repeating his thoughts about keeping this secret between the two of them.

"And I will not tell them, though I believe you should, if only to get help for your head wound."

Unaware that he had a head wound, Yugi reached his hand up to the back of his head. Pulling his hand back, he saw blood. He became aware of the pain he was feeling from that area, and it hurt a lot. "Oww...I didn't realize." He was used to treating most wounds, but he was normally lucky enough to avoid head wounds, and the pain was very great. Yami wouldn't be able to do it, either, because he wasn't a solid form.

Yami had barely felt the pain when he was in control of the body, but he knew it had to have been bad. If he felt it even though he was that angry and in such a protective state, the pain must have been high. "You must get help for that."

A sigh, followed by an, "I know," filled the air.

"Let me take over," Yami said gently. "I can give you a break from the pain while I get in contact with Joey and have him come over."

"Thank you, Pharaoh," Yugi whispered, easily giving up control of the body. He was in a lot of pain both inside and out and just wanted the night to come to an end. He knew it was best to get his head checked out, and if anybody was going to do it he wanted it to be Joey.

'I will not tell Joey what happened,' Yami said, speaking in their head as a way of providing comfort to Yugi by subtly reminding him that he was not alone since he was always there. 'Get some rest, Yugi.'


	4. Chapter 4

After removing Yugi's father from the bedroom, Yami went to the phone and used their shared memory to see what Joey's phone number was. He understood how to use a phone but he was still lacking on the concept which made little sense to him, but he didn't need to know all of that to know how to make a phone call. He dialed Joey's number and waited, hoping he answered the phone and not his father. Thankfully, Joey did answer. "'ellow?" he answered, his voice bright but also portraying his tiredness, seeing as how it was late at night.

"Joey?"

There was a moment of hesitation before, "Uhh, spirit?"

"Yes, Joey. There has been an incident and we require your help."

"What happened?" Joey asked, obviously worried.

"It is Yugi's story to tell," the spirit said. "He has an injury on his head that needs looking at, and I am unable to properly handle it. Can you help?"

"I'm on my way now. Give me a few minutes," Joey said and then hung up in order to rush over to the game shop as fast as he could.

Yami went out to the game shop, quietly closing the door behind him and grabbing the house key that was hanging up. It was something Yugi did whenever he went out late and it seemed second-nature for Yami. He unlocked the door leading to the outside and then sat at the chair behind the counter. The pain in his head was intense and he noticed the dizziness that accompanied head wounds. Refusing to show weakness when he needed to be strong for Yugi, he looked behind the counter for tissues and then held one up to the bleeding wound.

He felt the despair coming from Yugi and he couldn't stop the pity that filled his heart. He knew Yugi didn't want pity. He didn't want to feel as if he was less than others, but no matter what, he pitied him. Yugi hadn't asked for the life he had been given. He had to go on a journey to save the world with him just after saving his grandfather and the Kaiba brothers. He had the stress of not wanting to worry his friends and the stress of keeping such a huge secret from his friends, not to mention that the secret was child abuse. Now Yugi had to deal with the fact that his secret had been discovered by the person he put the most effort into hiding it from.

The game shop door was thrown open with so much force that Yami nearly jumped, but he held himself still. He was on more lookout than he normally was after witnessing the event he had. 'Do you wish to speak to Joey?' Yami asked Yugi through their mind.

'Yes. Thank you.'

'Be careful,' Yami warned, allowing Yugi to take control. He didn't want Yugi to suffer with that headache he had endured, but he knew it would probably be better emotionally for his young friend to handle the situation however he wanted to. It would not do well if Yami himself handled it because the longer Yugi put it off, the harder it will be for him when he eventually confronted the situation.

"Yugi, what happened?" Joey asked, coming up behind the counter in order to inspect where he was holding a tissue to his head. He started searching through the cabinets for the first aid kit he knew Yugi's grandpa kept behind the counter. "How'd this happen?"

'I don't know what to tell him,' Yugi admitted to Yami, standing in between their two soul rooms. Yami was stood, leaning against the wall, regarding Yugi with a careful glance.

'Tell him what you wish, but I would not recommend lying. There is no right or wrong decision on what to tell our friends,' Yami said. He could not give much advice on the topic because, as he said, there was no right or wrong answer.

"Yuge?" Joey prompted, noticing the hesitation. He had never seen Yugi look so down before, even when he was going through his internal struggle with the spirit inside him at Duelist Kingdom. He knew something bad must've happened but he had no idea what. "Did somebody hurt ya, Yuge?"

Yugi closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths to calm himself. He could do it. He could relate to Joey. Joey hadn't gotten along with his father ever since his parents divorced, and ever since finding out that he had a sister he could only imagine the suffering his friend dealt with everyday. He always remained cheerful, brave, and gallant. Yugi could talk to him and the two would grow closer. He could do it. All he had to do was muster to strength to say the words. "It was my...uh, it was my dad."

Joey's hands froze only for a second as he cleaned out the wound on the back of Yugi's head with the peroxide he found in the first aid kit, but then he continued as if the news didn't put a hole in his heart. He wanted to get angry but he wasn't sure how scared Yugi was going to be, so he controlled his anger so he didn't scare his friend. "What he do?"

"He hit me," Yugi said, his shoulders shrugging on their own. "I fell and hit my head on my desk, so mostly this was my injury. The Pharaoh couldn't clean it since he doesn't have his own body."

"Pharaoh?" Joey repeated with a question before shaking his head. He could be filled in about 'the Pharaoh' at a later time. He had more important things to look at. "Was this the first time?"

"No."

"Why haven't you said 'nything, Yuge? You know we coulda helped ya," Joey said, glancing at his friends face once before grabbing a bandage and wrapping it around his head.

Yugi glanced down at his Millennium Puzzle and wrapped both of his hands around it. It was something that comforted him. It relaxed him knowing that the puzzle was nearby. Before he knew about the spirit, it was a nice way to remind him that he was able to do that puzzle. He had done something, and he had gotten friends because of it. That was his wish, and his wish was granted. Not only did he get Joey, Téa, Tristan, and Bakura, but he also got other friendly rivals like Mai and, though the other party wouldn't agree, Kaiba. Then he got the spirit who was another part of himself, and that wasn't even because they shared a body. They were like two halves of a whole, Yami being the braver and more confident one and Yugi being the more down to earth and sensitive one. They completed each other and both were learning valuable lessons from the other. The Millennium Puzzle was his go-to comfort, and it usually worked because he gained so much because of it. He couldn't possibly be depressed when he had that puzzle.

Remembering that he was supposed to be talking to Joey, Yugi shook himself out of his deep thoughts. "You all have your own worries on top of worrying about me all the time. I didn't want to add to that," he explained, his voice stronger than before. He sensed more than saw Yami smile when he realized why his soul was warming up with positive feelings.

"We're your friends, Yuge. We all worry about each other. It's what we do," Joey said, his voice sounding as if he wanted to say 'duh' because of how obvious it was. Friends worried about each other and stuck together. "Besides...you know 'bout my dad. You have the same worry."

"I guess I just feel embarrassed," the smaller boy admitted. "You handle it so well...You're still so brave, so cheerful, and then there's me. I wasn't very confident before I solved this puzzle and became friends with all of you."

"We all handle things differently, Yuge," Joey said, finally taking a seat next to Yugi and staring at his friend. "I take what I go through and take all the bad feelings and transfer them into humor, and it makes things better. You take what you go through and that gives you your protective instinct and your will to sacrifice yourself for anybody."

"But you do that, too, and Tristan and Téa."

"You did it for people who didn't treat you so nicely," Joey said, shaking his head. "You took up for me and Tristan even though we were jerks to you. You spared Kaiba even though it risked not saving your gramps, and then you saved him even though he hates all of us. I know I couldn't do none of that. You're brave in your own way, Yuge. You always have been, even without that spirit in that puzzle of yours."

'Joey speaks the truth, Yugi,' Yami gently pressed, hoping Yugi would accept the answer as fact and save him from the insecurity he was feeling.

Joey lowered his head a bit more to properly meet Yugi's eyes. Judging by the look on his face, Yugi was talking to the spirit from the puzzle. "Yuge," he said, trying to catch his attention again, "we're here for ya. You don't gotta go through this alone anymore, just like I don't gotta go through it alone anymore. I go to Tristan's house when my dad is too much. You can, too, or Téa. Or mine, cause my dad is a jerk, but he won't be a jerk to none of you."

"I don't know if I want Téa or Tristan knowing," Yugi admitted. "I wasn't even sure if I could tell you. I didn't tell the spirit. I kept him hidden from it, but he witnessed it tonight..."

"You're not gonna tell them? They can help you. You know they can." He knew it, too. He knew just having their support would help him so much, but he didn't want to burden them with his own problems. Joey, reading his mind, shook his head. "They'd be more worried if they discovered it on their own, probably like that spirit in your puzzle."

It didn't take much convincing honestly because while Yugi really didn't want to burden them, he knew that they trusted him with many of their deepest secrets, so he should be able to do the same. "You're right, and I know it, but...I just don't know how I'd tell them."

"It'll come to ya when we sit down with 'em. Unless you'd rather talk to them on your own," Joey said, ending his sentence with more of a question on if he wanted him there or not whenever he was going to spill his secret.

Yugi was grateful for the offer because he wasn't sure he could do it alone. "I'd love it if you could be there when I do."

Joey jumped up, trying to get more adrenaline to flow through his body. Sitting around talking to Yugi about that topic was making him antsy and he needed to transfer that energy into physical movement. "I'm not gonna give you a choice on this matter. Tonight, you're coming over my house and we'll head to school together tomorrow."

Shaking his head, Yugi also stood up. "The spirit stopped him tonight and he wiped my dad's memory of the night. We're not exactly sure how he did it, but my dad won't remember tonight. I'll be fine tonight."

"You should still come over," Joey said, backing off of his 'I'm not gonna give you a choice' and leaving it as more of an option. "I mean, it'd probably be best if you could have a night away from all of that after all this. Get away from it all, gather some strength to talk to Tristan and Téa, whenever you're ready. My dad's already asleep, so you don't gotta worry about me getting in trouble or anything that I know you're already considering."

'You should go, Yugi,' Yami said, breaking his silence to give his young friend some advice. A night away from the struggle and with a friend would probably be best for Yugi, whether he was ready to admit that or not. It took a lot of courage and strength to talk to Yami and Joey about the abuse. He had two of his friends find out in one night. As an added reason to go, he had that head injury, and it was never good to be alone with those. Sure, Yami was there, but he was little help in physical injuries simply because he had no body of his own.

Joey was thinking alone the same lines as the Pharaoh and, in a final attempt to persuade Yugi, he brought it up. "Plus, you got that hurt head of yours, Yuge. Shouldn't be alone with that, considerin' you could have a concussion or somethin'."

"Alright," Yugi relented, relieved at the escape from his house yet also worried about being a burden on Joey who already went through so much. "I'll come for tonight. Let me just go get my things."

"I'll come with ya," Joey said, giving no reason for it, but Yugi knew it was because Joey wanted to make sure no more injuries came about. The two walked up to his room in silence and it took Yugi all of one minute to pack his clothes and school supplies before leading Joey out and locking the house door and then the game shop behind him. He had left a short note for his grandpa who normally saw him out on the way to school explaining that he had been with a friend and he'd be back later that night.

Yugi could feel Joey's questioning eyes as he left and he knew exactly what Joey wanted to ask. "Gramps doesn't know," he answered, bringing relief to Joey. Yugi's grandpa was like a grandfather to all of them, especially after Duelist Kingdom. If Gramps knew of the abuse, or even added on to it...It would be harder to handle. "I don't want him to think he failed as a dad or as a grandpa. It'd kill him if he found out."

"Failed as a dad?" Joey repeated, confused. "I thought he was your mom's father."

"He is," Yugi confirmed. Without saying anything else, he also confirmed that his mother took part in the abuse as well. Instead of saying anything to that, Joey just remained quiet as the two walked back to Joey's house.

Yami, deep in his soul room, used all of his power to try to calm the pain in Yugi's head. He wasn't sure what he was doing exactly but it seemed to be working a little bit. Yugi still had a headache, but the dizziness vanished and the headache was manageable. Yami, even locked away in his puzzle, was still doing anything he could to help him. Yugi, without a doubt, had the best friends a guy could ask for.


	5. Chapter 5

The next day at school was going pretty well. Joey hadn't mentioned the abuse to anybody, not even Yugi, and Yugi didn't say anything about it, either. Instead, everybody talked about the new tournament that Kaiba was hosting. It was sure to be a blast, but Yugi and Téa knew more. During a break, the two explained everything that they had learned from the museum and how the spirit inside of the puzzle was a Pharaoh. "I tried to call you last night, Yugi," Téa said, "because I was trying to learn more about Egypt. I can't find any historical evidence that would hint at anything Ishizu said being true except for those stone tablets. Whatever happened, people didn't want the world knowing about it."

'I can't blame Téa for calling,' Yugi said to Yami who appeared beside him.

'Nor can I,' Yami said. 'She was only trying to help us discover more about my past, for which I thank her for.'

"Wow," Joey said, eyeing Yugi. "So that spirit is actually a Pharaoh. That's kinda cool."

"At least we know what to refer to him as now," Tristan said. "Calling him 'spirit' was getting kinda weird, if you ask me."

"He's a nameless Pharaoh," Téa continued. "I think that's one of the saddest things. He can't remember his own name. But why? Why would his name be erased?"

"I don't have a clue," Yugi concluded, "but we'll find out. We're sure to get some answers during this tournament. Our first clue lies with the Millennium Items. I have the Puzzle, Pegasus had the Eye, but that was stolen, and Bakura has the Ring. Shadi has the Key, and Ishizu has the necklace. That leaves two, but we don't know who stole the Eye and I have no clue how to find Shadi."

"And it seems like Kaiba is your enemy, right? Figures - he's your biggest opponent," Tristan added.

"We'll squash Kaiba like a bug," Joey said confidently, not having gotten over his hatred for Kaiba just yet. "We don't gotta worry 'bout him. Yugi here'll beat him, ain't that right, Yuge?"

"I hope so," Yugi said, not trying to be overly confident in his abilities or get cocky. He had saved Kaiba a few times and beaten him once, though he should have beaten him the second time, too. But he's always had help. Kaiba was a difficult opponent to beat.

Joey gave Yugi a look, now that that conversation was over. It was obvious what Joey was trying to ask. He was trying to ask if he was ready, and Yugi gave a little nod because he was. His friends were willing to help him and Yami save the world. They didn't deserve to be kept in the dark. He knew Yami was still in partial shock over witnessing the events of the night before and he wasn't trying to put Téa or Tristan in that position. "Hey, guys," Joey started, deciding to help Yugi out a bit by starting the conversation. "There's something Yugi here needs to tell you guys. I just found out last night, and..."

Tristan, who normally would have started mocking Joey over something or another, noticed the seriousness on his friend's face and knew this wasn't going to be a laughing matter. "And what?"

"Yugi?" Téa asked, shifting her focus from Joey to her smaller friend. "What is he talking about?"

And so Yugi talked. He talked about the injury he had acquired the night before, the way the Pharaoh saved him, and how he needed help to address the injury so he called Joey. He talked about who caused the injury and when that abuse started. He told them everything about why he kept it a secret and how bad the abuse usually got. Most of what he said was also news to Joey because they hadn't talked about it again the night before, so Joey was clenching his fists under the table knowing he couldn't do much to help his friend besides offer him a place to sleep some nights when it got too bad. "I didn't want to tell you guys...but I didn't want you finding out on your own like the Pharaoh did. I don't want you guys to worry more over me, but you guys are my best friends and I couldn't keep hiding this from you. Since the Pharaoh found out, this became a secret I could share with you all."

Tristan was speechless, Joey was too angry for words, and Téa was silently crying. 'Did I do the right thing, Pharaoh?' Yugi asked, doubting his decision to speak more with each passing second.

'No, Yugi, I believe you made the right decision,' Yami answered. 'This reaction only proves how much our friends care for you.'

'I know they care, but they're hurting because they know.'

'Yes, they are indeed hurting, but you are still hurting for Joey, too, and you're hurting for Téa because she is struggling to make her life as a dancer, and you're hurting for Tristan who can't seem to find his place in this world,' the spirit explained. 'Friends worry for one another, and they hurt for one another, but they will always be there.'

Yugi was about to respond to the spirit when Téa broke out of her shock and lunged at Yugi, hugging him tightly. "I'm so sorry, I should have known," she said, gently touching the back of his head with one hand and holding him tightly with the other.

Hesitantly, Yugi wrapped an arm back around Téa, feeling uncomfortable with being comforted. "No, there was no way you could have," he tried to reason.

"How could anybody hurt you?" Tristan said, his shock turning to anger just like Joey. "I mean, yeah, we weren't too nice to you before we knew you, but your parents...they do know you. They've always known you. And for them to turn on you like that? You're the nicest guy I know."

"Even my dad gives me breaks," Joey piped up. "He isn't horrible all the time."

"You don't deserve it," Téa said, making Yugi gasp and his eyes widen. It wasn't his fault. He never intentionally thought it was his fault, but deep down he felt like it was. Hearing those words brought these feelings to his attention. Noticing how tense Yugi got, Téa held him harder. "It's not, Yugi. It's not."

And silently, Yugi allowed the tears to flow. Joey and Tristan wrapped their arms around him and Téa so he was engulfed in a hug from his three best friends. Yami, even though he didn't have a physical body, wrapped an arm around Yugi in their mind, holding him tightly to his side. Yugi shut his eyes and allowed the comfort to wash over him, and he knew he'd be okay. His friends were there to hold him and keep him from drowning in his worries and pain. He could share his burden with them just as they shared theirs with him. He would be okay. His friends would make sure of it.


End file.
